Big Ten Media Days: Ohio State and other hot topics

Wednesday

Jul 27, 2011 at 12:01 AMJul 27, 2011 at 10:46 PM

It’s a whole new world for the Big Ten Conference. Not only has the league added Nebraska, a powerful national brand in college football, the Big Ten now breaks its 12 teams into two divisions and plays a conference football championship game for the first time. That's big news, even outside of the nine-state league footprint.

John Supinie

CHICAGO – It’s a whole new world for the Big Ten Conference.

Not only has the league added Nebraska, a powerful national brand in college football, the Big Ten now breaks its 12 teams into two divisions and plays a conference football championship game for the first time. That's big news, even outside of the nine-state league footprint.

But Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany will be doing some damage control for a conference image that needs some polish, just one of the hot topics when the Big Ten holds its preseason football media days Thursday and Friday.

1. How does Delany handle the storyline?

Ohio State goes for conference record seventh consecutive Big Ten title, but the Buckeyes did more work in the offseason to harm the league's image than they did over the past six seasons to help it. The Big Ten always trumpeted its clean reputation, but the scandal at Ohio State did more than cost coach Jim Tressel his job.

A winning-is-everything attitude in Columbus - the delayed suspension of five players allowed them to play in the Sugar Bowl - gave the critics ammunition to bash the Big Ten and its priorities. The conference looked just like those other leagues, whose teams have been beating up on the Big Ten.

2. Nebraska joined the Big Ten at just the right time.

The league is under great transition on the field, especially among the Big Ten's other three national name brand names. Co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell took over in May at Ohio State on an interim basis, and Michigan was already heading into the season with coach Brady Hoke, a replacement for the failed experiment with wide-open Rich Rodriguez. Then there's Penn State and Joe Paterno, who turns 85 in December. He's been answering questions about retirement for a decade.

Grateful to escape the influence of Texas in the Big 12, Nebraska doesn't face the challenge of rebuilding like the Big Ten's other big names. It should give the Cornhuskers a head start on heading into the league's new era.

3. The party known as a conference championship game.

The inaugural game is prime time on Dec. 3 at Lucas Oil Stadium, the opener in the Indianapolis doubleheader highlighted by the Super Bowl there in early February. They know how to throw a party in cozy downtown Indy, where the Big Ten football title game will remain through 2015. Imagine the basketball tournament on steroids for a one-day show.

It's those hats that look like cheese and the others shaped like an ear of corn. Or JoePa taking the field with his khakis rolled up. Maybe a script Ohio road show or an underdog with nothing to lose but a berth to the Rose Bowl.

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday, ranging from $50 to $125, depending on seat location, at Ticketmaster (800-745-3000) and the stadium box office.

The next change to the league format may not come until 2017, when a nine-game schedule looks like it will be added. Further league expansion seems to have cooled with the addition of Nebraska.

5. Where does Illinois go from here?

Illinois hasn't finished with a winning record in back-to-back seasons since 1990. After a Texas Bowl win and a 7-6 record last season, the Illini have eight home games, but there's concern over the early departures of running back Mikel Leshoure, defensive tackle Corey Liuget and linebacker Martez Wilson to the NFL.

Besides the growth by quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, a key question comes at running back. Senior Jason Ford didn't play much in the spring before getting arrested for a suspended license. That's no way to take control of the job.

John Supinie can be reached at Johnsupinie@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @JohnSupinie.

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Eye on the Illini

-- The end of the NFL lockout ushered in a flurry of moves, including moves with a handful of players from last season's Illinois football team. Cornerback Travon Bellamy (Rams), wide receiver Jarred Fayson (Saints), offensive lineman Randall Hunt (Rams), wide receiver Eddie McGee (Raiders) and defensive end Clay Nurse (Patriots) have come to terms on free-agent contracts.

-- Illinois was one of eight basketball teams in the field for the 2012 Maui Invitational, the tournament officially announced Wednesday. Three-time tournament champ North Carolina and Butler, runner-up in the last two NCAA tournaments, are also in the field. Marquette, Mississippi State Southern California, Texas and Division II Chaminade, the host school, fill the championship round field.